Thanks. And a whole lot more.

It’s Thanksgiving. The perfect time to reflect and say thank-you for all of the things you have been blessed with in your life. A time to hug your loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you. It’s a time to step out of yourself and recognize what’s truly important.

After you’ve said your thanks this year, I challenge you to do something more. I challenge you to forgive.

Thankfulness is easy … forgiveness isn’t.

Think of that person that has wronged you or hurt you deeply. Have you forgiven them for their mistakes or are you letting that situation stop you from moving forward? Are there people that you do your best to avoid just so you don’t have to deal with past crap? Are there places that you refuse to go to for fear of running into someone you don’t want to see?

Are these same people that you’re running from, people that you once loved with all your heart? When you’re wronged by someone that you love, it seems to hurt twice as much. But for some reason, these special and important relationships are quite often never repaired. These hurts run rampant in our own families and it is such a shame.

My question to you is this, is it really worth it? Why are you willing to let someone else control your happiness and experiences? Stop letting the past dictate your future and move forward. Are you really okay with never having a relationship with these people ever again and are you truly content with living a life full of avoidance? We tell other people to forgive and forget all the time but yet it’s so hard to do ourselves. I say that we start taking our own advice and choose better.

Forgiveness does not equal weakness. Never, ever confuse the two. Forgiveness is about moving on and letting go. It doesn’t mean you have to forget or that you have to fall back into old patterns or acceptance of abuse. It means that you are giving yourself the freedom to breathe and move forward. It means that you are taking the power back for yourself and living your life to the fullest.

Be thankful for the people in your life, the good times, the bad times and the times yet to come. Be thankful for the joys you have experienced and the lessons that you have learned. Be thankful that you have the ability to forgive and move on. That is something to be truly thankful for.

Excellent post.
I also like to remind my therapy clients that forgiveness doesn’t mean you’re saying that what was done to you was ok, it just means that you’re accepting that what has been done will never change.

There’s no doubting it, holding a grudge can twist you into a knot, it can eat you alive. Sometimes it can turn you into a person that you no longer recognise or like. But I’ve found that ‘forgiveness’ can be a stumbling block. I’d rather come in by the back door and ‘let go’. When it’s genuine it’s possible that after you’ve let go of the anger and the grudge you are able to forgive. Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed.

Gratitude and forgiveness go hand in hand in our home…when we realize that God has forgiven each one of us, who are we to withhold it from others? I had the opportunity to forgive someone very close to me a few years ago, and by God’s grace I was able to, and so the relationship is still thriving. It doesn’t come naturally to us; we gravitate towards anger, resentment, distrust, and bitterness. Every time those feelings keep creeping back to the surface (and they will, let’s be honest), I’ve had to just hand them over to God and ask for that same outpouring of grace that allowed the initial forgiveness to happen. Healing continues, the scars fade, the feelings of having been wounded come up less often…but when I think of what I am thankful for, I remember forgiveness very clearly–both being able to receive it and offer it. I truly enjoyed reading your post and look forward to reading more! Blessings to you.

I really like this! It definitely made me reflect on past situations in my life and to stop and think…..”Did I really forgive them? Or am I just avoiding them?” I’m not quit sure the answer just yet, but I think this post is very thought provoking and just what I needed. So, thanks!

Congratulations! And it’s been quite a while since I’ve read something that screamed “Celena, you need to think about this!” And I will. Not easy when the harmed party is not only yourself,,however. Hmmm, I will ponder more….Wonderful post.

oh so timely.. i’ve just forgiven somebody close to my heart.. and it is really hard to forget but i made the first step which is to forgive.. yes, time to move on.. thank you, your post is very inspiring.

An old saying-”forget and forgive;easily said than done.Well it definitely serves as a remedy that bridges any bitter relationship,serves as an ointment to sad hearts but results for sure an environment of positivity.

You are right, we have to be thankful that we have the ability to forgive. Sometimes misunderstandings are so irritating that I’d like to tell my loved ones, “Move on! That’s crap.” Though I can’t. They also have a right to mourn and be sad 😀
Yet, cheers for this! 😉

I am so thankful to see that WordPress Freshly Pressed this! Now THIS is newsworthy! Congratulations! Have you heard the song by Matthew West called Forgiveness? I’m sure you can find it on YouTube. It is incredible…and is based on a true story about a lady whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. This lady and her family began to visit the man in prison and forgive him. Then they went before the court to get the man’s sentence cut in half. Forgiveness is hard, but once we begin to demonstrate forgiveness we do find healing.

[…] word for the Season. A little early, still, but the season for being grateful has begun. Thanks to This mom’s got something to say for letting me share this fantastic post. It’s about being grateful, which I’m sure many […]

Awesome post, and so relevant for me and some of my friends right now! There is so much our there right now about forgiveness, it truly appears to be a universal message, and hopefully something we can all try to do, not just to forgive those who have wronged us, but also to forgive ourselves for any wrongdoing. Thank You for sharing. 🙂 I particularly like the comment on being grateful for the people in Your life, for the good and the bad. I really enjoyed reading Your post.

Reblogged this on food4lyfe and commented:
Never let yourself mutter the words “you never know what you have until it’s gone.” Always be grateful for the things, the people, and the experiences you have in this lifetime. If something is gone, you will know exactly what you had, because you have been thankful for every part of it!